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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stock · fine · bowl · bound · jam · pit · field · charge

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bound — obliged
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. charge — a price
  5. field — farmland
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — in a race
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bound — certain
  15. field — a subject
  16. charge — in control
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. field — for sport
  19. bound — tied together
  20. stock — shares
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stock — goods
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com